Local roundup: Mustangs ride quick start to 54-39 win at AG
A 10-0 run to open Tuesday’s Section 1-5A contest was enough for Laurel Highlands to defeat Albert Gallatin, 54-39, in boys basketball play at Albert Gallatin High School.
The Mustangs (2-3, 7-4) can even their section record on Friday when they host cross-town rival Uniontown (1-4, 5-7) at 7:30 p.m.
Sevi Vecchiolla got Laurel Highlands off on the right foot when he scored inside before Kayden Smith converted on a layup for a four-point advantage. Vecchiolla recorded a second basket and Tyrone Burton’s mid-range jumper extended the Mustangs’ lead to 8-0 with 3:48 remaining in the first quarter.
Luke Martin scored on a transition basket after a steal for a 10-0 advantage, but Mekhi Belt put the Colonials (0-5, 2-9) on the scoreboard with a free throw at 1:34 of the opening frame. He missed his second free throw, but Albert Gallatin pulled down an offensive rebound and Belt made a jumper to cut the deficit to 10-3.
Martin made a three-pointer with five seconds remaining in the first for a 13-3 lead heading into the second quarter.
The Colonials used a 17-16 edge in the second period, but Laurel Highlands pushed its lead to 46-30 after outscoring the home team, 17-10, in the third quarter. Albert Gallatin had a 9-8 edge in the fourth.
Smith led the game in scoring with 15. Martin had 14, and Burton and Vecchiolla finished with 10 points apiece.
Belt led the Colonials in scoring with 14 points. Elliot Sines added 13.
Gateway 60, Uniontown 43 — Mykel Bruce-McCrommon scored 23 points to help the visiting Gators defeat the Red Raiders in a Section 1-5A game.
Uniontown built a 16-8 advantage in the first quarter but Gateway (4-1, 5-4) rallied to take a 30-28 halftime lead then pulled away with a 21-9 edge in the third to go up 51-37.
Isaiah Allah had 16 points for the Gators and Kofi Gyekye added 10 points.
Cam Dugan paced the Red Raiders (1-4, 5-7) with 18 points and Isaac Ellsworth followed with 13.
Neighborhood Academy 72, Geibel Catholic 64 — Kedron Gilmore tossed in 27 points as the first-place Bulldogs knocked off the host Gators in a Section 2-A game.
Neighborhood Academy led 26-17, 43-33 and 67-48 at the quarter breaks.
Dante Wright (20) and Trey McMurray (17) followed Gilmore in the scoring column for the Bulldogs (3-0, 10-1).
Evan Strimel tallied a game-high 28 points for Geibel (1-2, 7-5), which also got 20 points from Anthony Nickischer.
Southmoreland 47, Waynesburg Central 46 — The Scotties out-scored the visiting Raiders 14-10 in the fourth quarter to pull out a one-point win a battle for sole possession of first place in Section 4-3A.
Waynesburg (2-1, 4-7) led 8-4 after the first quarter, Southmoreland (3-0, 6-6) surged to a 21-20 halftime advantage but the Raiders went back ahead 36-33 after three.
Noah Felentzer topped the Scotties in scoring with 11 points and Brock Pritts added 10.
Dane Woods had a game-high 15 points for Waynesburg and Cole Headlee was right behind with 14.
Carmichaels 68, Mapletown 37 — The Mikes took control in the second quarter and pulled away from the host Maples for a Section 3-2A victory.
The score was tied 13-13 after the first quarter before Carmichaels (2-2, 3-6) pushed out to a 29-20 halftime lead and carried a 50-31 advantage into the final frame.
Stephen Lewis scored a game-high 18 points for the Mikes, who also got 14 points from Chase Ankrom and 10 from Scott Maskil.
Carson Vanata dropped in 16 points for Mapletown (0-5, 0-11).
Jefferson-Morgan 42, Fort Cherry 37 — The unbeaten Rockets rallied from a six-point deficit after the first quarter to defeat the visiting Rangers and keep a share of first place in Section 3-2A with Chartiers-Houston.
Fort Cherry led 15-9 after the first quarter and 25-19 at halftime but Jefferson-Morgan held the Rangers to just three points in the third in taking a 29-28 advantage and held a 13-9 edge in the fourth.
Jeremiah Robertson led the Rockets (3-0, 11-0) with a game-high 19 points.
Landon Trnasky had 14 points for Fort Cherry (3-2, 5-5) and Connor Vansickle added 10.
Chartiers-Houston 52, Beth-Center 45 — The visiting Buccaneers fought off the Bulldogs in a Section 3-2A clash for their ninth win in a row.
Chartiers-Houston (5-0, 10-2) led 15-8, 25-18 and 38-26 at the quarter breaks. B-C held a 19-14 advantage in the fourth quarter.
Aaron Walsh had 16 points for the Buccaneers and was followed by Wes Yeater (12) and Bryson Boscovich (10).
Jason Zellie scored a game-high 19 points for Beth-Center (2-3, 6-5).
Frazier 60, California 30 — Kolby Stewart poured in 31 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the visiting Commodores rolled past the Trojans in a Section 1-2A game.
Austin Stewart followed with 10 points for Frazier (2-3, 5-6), which led 13-6, 32-11 and 43-23 at the quarter breaks.
Alan Dennis paced California (0-5, 0-11) with 10 points.
West Greene 76, Burgettstown 61 — Landon Hill racked up a game-high 27 points as the Pioneers out-scored the host Blue Devils 50-23 in the second half to overcome as 12-point halftime deficit and claim a Section 3-2A win.
West Greene (2-2, 3-6) fell behind 15-12 in the first quarter and 38-26 at intermission but sliced the gap to 52-49 after three then rode a 27-9 edge in the final frame to victory.
Matt Wassil tallied 13 points for the Pioneers.
Blake Neal had 18 points for Burgettstown (0-5, 2-10) and was followed by Trent Stevens (16) and Bryce Speer (10).
Ligonier Valley 67, Brownsville 40 — Michael Wisniewski tossed in 22 points as the visiting Rams triumphed over the Falcons in a Section 4-3A game.
Ligonier Valley (2-1, 6-5) led 17-7 after the first quarter and 29-16 at halftime. Brownsville (0-3, 1-9) used a 20-16 advantage in the third quarter to get within 45-36 but the Rams pulled away in the fourth.
Michael Vargulish-Graver (14) and Greyson Daugherty (10) also hit double digits in scoring for Ligonier Valley.
Jaiden Praster paced the Falcons with 17 points and Max Dieudonni added seven points.
Belle Vernon 77, East Allegheny 40 — Elijah Majors led a balanced scoring attack with 16 points and the host Leopards gradually pulled away for a Section 3-4A victory over the Wildcats.
Belle Vernon (4-1, 8-6) led 19-12, 41-23 and 65-32 at the quarter breaks.
AJ Watson followed Majors with 13 points for the Leopards, who also got 12 points apiece from Luca Ghilani and Cam Jenko.
Jayden Patterson had 14 points for East Allegheny (2-2, 6-4) and Chris Portis chipped in with 10.
Mt. Lebanon 83, Connellsville 36 — Carter Gould rang up 37 points and Liam Sheely had 18 as the Blue Devils cruised past the host Falcons in a Section 2-6A game.
Mt. Labanon clung to an 18-15 lead after the first quarter but used a 29-9 advantage in the second to go up 47-24 at halftime.
Jacob Zaber contributed 11 points for the Blue Devis (3-2, 9-3).
Christian Thomas scored 13 points for Connellsville (0-5, 4-7).
Charleroi 54, Mount Pleasant 51 — Zavion Thomas and Jackson Keranko each scored 17 points to help the host Cougars fend off the Vikings in a Section 4-3A clash.
Charleroi (1-2, 6-7) led 17-12 after the first quarter but Mount Pleasant stormed back to seize a 33-30 halftime advantage. The Cougars used a 16-11 edge in the third to retake the lead at 46-44.
Thomas made one of two free throws with eight seconds left to set the final score.
Kade Hutchinson paced the Vikings (1-2, 3-9) with 12 points.
Girls Basketball
Brownsville 48, Carmichaels 32 — Ava Clark scored a game-high 21 points in the Lady Falcons’ non-section win over the visiting Lady Mikes.
Carmichaels was up 10-8 after the first quarter before Brownsville (3-9) bounced back to take a 25-17 halftime lead and held a 37-23 advantage after three.
Ciara Horabik followed with Clark with 17 points, including five 3-pointers for the Lady Falcons.
Joselyn Carter tallied nine points for the Lady Mikes (1-11).